For a time last year, it was difficult to drive through a large swath of central California without running into the new shoreline of a long dormant lake. Resurrected for the first time in decades by an epic deluge of winter rain and snow, by spring the lake covered more than 100,000 acres, stretching over cotton, tomato and pistachio fields and miles of roads. Tulare Lake, or Pa’ashi as it is known to the Tachi Yokut Tribe, was back. … Scientists and officials predicted the lake could remain for years to come, sparking consternation among the local farmers whose land was now underwater, and excitement from others who saw the lake as a fertile nature sanctuary and sacred site. … Despite the predictions, the lake is nearly gone.